Aso’s Approval Rating Slumps to 9.7 Percent

[Phoenix-Risen]

Aso’s Approval Rating Slumps to 9.7 Percent in Nippon TV Survey

By Kanoko Matsuyama

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Fewer than one in 10 people supported Prime Minister Taro Aso in a Nippon Television news survey, the second-lowest rating for a Japanese leader, as criticism mounts that his policies may deepen a recession.

Aso’s approval rating fell to 9.7 percent from 17.4 percent, the poorest showing since the Yoshiro Mori administration in 2001, Nippon TV said. His disapproval rating climbed 6.9 percentage points from last month to 76.2 percent, it said.

Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attacked Aso last week for what he called “appalling” and “laughable” blunders, suggesting that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may lose this year’s election. Aso was forced to back away from a Feb. 5 statement that he opposed the break-up of Japan’s postal system, a key Koizumi policy.

In the Nippon TV poll, 82.3 percent of respondents said Aso’s remarks on the privatization of Japan Post Holding Co. were inappropriate, with 36.5 percent supporting the comments made by Koizumi.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aY50NviCyo9Q&refer=home


OK, first off admit that you thought this was about Bush at 1st.

But the lesson here is that it's the economy stupid. We had better hope that the stimulus package works because no matter how much the administration "lowers expectations" the vast majority of American people are going to be very impatient.

Remember, Bush the Elder dropped from 90 some percent to being run out of office after one term. President Carter didn't fare much better.

[liberalmuse]

1. Meh. Sorry, I'm not buying your shit.

It's not the same thing, and it wasn't just the economy with Bush. He failed in every aspect of his job. You're jumping the gun on this comparison, that's for sure. I wish I weren't so cynical, but I've been on DU long enough to know when something stinks.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Bush II put us in the crapper......and folks ain't gonna forget that!

It is Republicans and their ridiculous positioning who should be very careful.

They may think Americans are stupid, but we ain't that stupid.

[Zynx]

3. Japan has one of the least comprehensible political histories in the post-War era.

The LDP's dominance through a 20-year long period of economic malaise is nothing short of astonishing.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. You wish! Obama himself has already as much as said that if it doesn't

work, we'll have a new President. I disagree with his assessment, but your comparisons to Carter & Bush I are just incomparable.

[PBS Poll-435]

5. Still higher than my man

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